Urban Meyer vs Arch Manning analysis turned on one blunt line: the three-time national championship-winning head coach said Manning has gone backwards as Texas' quarterback pressure keeps growing. The timing is harsh, with Texas coming off two straight losses and another ranked opponent waiting Saturday night.
Meyer on Arch Manning
Meyer said, "It's hard to believe we're here," after watching a player who looked far sharper in Texas' comeback win against Ohio State last month. He added, "His second half against Ohio State, particularly the last two drives, that looked like the guy that everybody talked about. He was phenomenal. But he’s gone backwards."
The criticism did not stop there. Meyer said Texas should bench Manning and pointed to the way a quarterback switch can change a team’s edge, saying, "You saw coach Kyle Whittingham make the change at quarterback. Instant spark. They beat Penn State. We all know if they don't make that change, they lose to Penn State. So, I think they're at that inflection point right now".
Texas Quarterback Pressure
Manning is 22 years old, but the concern is about his recent stretch, not his age. He has struggled in each of Texas' last two games, and Meyer said the Longhorns backup, KJ Lacey Jr., has taken more first-team reps.
That is the part Steve Sarkisian has to sort out. Meyer said the head coach has to take reps away from Manning, and his warning was direct: "You got to start giving that guy reps and then at (that) point, it's going to be a really really difficult decision if he's going to make that decision to make a change, because I'm really worried about Texas. They look awful."
Top 25 Slide
Texas dropped from No. 12 to No. 19 in the latest Top 25 poll after the loss to Florida on Saturday, which adds another layer to the debate around the position. Meyer also said Texas did not have great wide receivers last season, but said this season Manning has struggled despite having Cam Coleman and Ryan Wingo.
That leaves Texas heading into No. 7 Ole Miss on Saturday night with the same unresolved question hanging over the lineup. Meyer has already framed the issue as a rep split and a decision point, and the next move belongs to Sarkisian.
